وَمَا خَلَقَ ٱلذَّكَرَ وَٱلْأُنثَىٰٓ
Wa maa khalaqaz zakara wal unthaa
اور اس (ذات) کی قسم جس نے نر اور مادہ پیدا کیے
and by the one who created male and female,
Arabic uses ma here where man would be expected of a person, and the two readings have stood side by side ever since: the one who created, making the oath by God, or the creating itself, making the oath by the act. Either way the line completes a run of three pairs, night against day and now male against female, set down immediately before the surah says human striving pulls in different directions.